Individuals usually satisfy the universal need to belong through close personal relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, introverts engage less in the social behaviors that provide the opportunity to establish and maintain these relationships (Mehl, Gosling, & Pennebaker, 2006; Rusting & Larsen, 1995). Some evidence suggests that the close relationships of introverts are less fulfilling than those of extraverts (Berry, Willingham, & Thayer, 2000; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000). Thus, supplementary ways of filling belongingness needs might benefit introverts. According to the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis, one such way is through parasocial interaction (Derrick, Gabriel, & Hugenberg, 2009), i.e., the one-sided relationships people form with personalities from television or other media (Horton & Wohl, 1956). Research has shown that parasocial relationships may be potent supplements to real relationships in sating the need to belong (Derrick, Gabriel, & Tippin, 2008). Furthermore, the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction posits that individuals with various social challenges compensate for insufficiencies in their real relationships with parasocial ones (Horton & Wohl). This dissertation sought support for both the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis and the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction with respect to the personality trait of introversion. Specifically, I investigated whether introverts derive the benefits that extraverts get from real relationships through parasocial relationships instead. I also investigated whether parasocial relationships exert their power specifically by filling belongingness needs, as opposed to exerting their power by improving mood.
","abstract_html":"<p>Individuals usually satisfy the universal need to belong through close personal relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, introverts engage less in the social behaviors that provide the opportunity to establish and maintain these relationships (Mehl, Gosling, & Pennebaker, 2006; Rusting & Larsen, 1995). Some evidence suggests that the close relationships of introverts are less fulfilling than those of extraverts (Berry, Willingham, & Thayer, 2000; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000). Thus, supplementary ways of filling belongingness needs might benefit introverts. According to the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis, one such way is through parasocial interaction (Derrick, Gabriel, & Hugenberg, 2009), i.e., the one-sided relationships people form with personalities from television or other media (Horton & Wohl, 1956). Research has shown that parasocial relationships may be potent supplements to real relationships in sating the need to belong (Derrick, Gabriel, & Tippin, 2008). Furthermore, the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction posits that individuals with various social challenges compensate for insufficiencies in their real relationships with parasocial ones (Horton & Wohl). This dissertation sought support for both the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis and the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction with respect to the personality trait of introversion. Specifically, I investigated whether introverts derive the benefits that extraverts get from real relationships through parasocial relationships instead. I also investigated whether parasocial relationships exert their power specifically by filling belongingness needs, as opposed to exerting their power by improving mood.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jarzyna, Carol Laurent"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-23T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-23T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:54:59Z","subjects":["introversion","need to belong","parasocial","relationships","social surrogacy","television","Social Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/6","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jarzyna, Carol Laurent"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2012-07-23T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["introversion","need to belong","parasocial","relationships","social surrogacy","television","Social Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/6"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Individuals usually satisfy the universal need to belong through close personal relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, introverts engage less in the social behaviors that provide the opportunity to establish and maintain these relationships (Mehl, Gosling, & Pennebaker, 2006; Rusting & Larsen, 1995). Some evidence suggests that the close relationships of introverts are less fulfilling than those of extraverts (Berry, Willingham, & Thayer, 2000; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000). Thus, supplementary ways of filling belongingness needs might benefit introverts. According to the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis, one such way is through parasocial interaction (Derrick, Gabriel, & Hugenberg, 2009), i.e., the one-sided relationships people form with personalities from television or other media (Horton & Wohl, 1956). Research has shown that parasocial relationships may be potent supplements to real relationships in sating the need to belong (Derrick, Gabriel, & Tippin, 2008). Furthermore, the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction posits that individuals with various social challenges compensate for insufficiencies in their real relationships with parasocial ones (Horton & Wohl). This dissertation sought support for both the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis and the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction with respect to the personality trait of introversion. Specifically, I investigated whether introverts derive the benefits that extraverts get from real relationships through parasocial relationships instead. I also investigated whether parasocial relationships exert their power specifically by filling belongingness needs, as opposed to exerting their power by improving mood.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Introversion and the Use of Parasocial Interaction to Satisfy Belongingness Needs"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Jarzyna, Carol Laurent"],"dc:date.available":["2012-07-23T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Individuals usually satisfy the universal need to belong through close personal relationships (Baumeister & Leary, 1995). However, introverts engage less in the social behaviors that provide the opportunity to establish and maintain these relationships (Mehl, Gosling, & Pennebaker, 2006; Rusting & Larsen, 1995). Some evidence suggests that the close relationships of introverts are less fulfilling than those of extraverts (Berry, Willingham, & Thayer, 2000; Watson, Hubbard, & Wiese, 2000). Thus, supplementary ways of filling belongingness needs might benefit introverts. According to the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis, one such way is through parasocial interaction (Derrick, Gabriel, & Hugenberg, 2009), i.e., the one-sided relationships people form with personalities from television or other media (Horton & Wohl, 1956). Research has shown that parasocial relationships may be potent supplements to real relationships in sating the need to belong (Derrick, Gabriel, & Tippin, 2008). Furthermore, the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction posits that individuals with various social challenges compensate for insufficiencies in their real relationships with parasocial ones (Horton & Wohl). This dissertation sought support for both the Social Surrogacy Hypothesis and the Compensatory Paradigm of Parasocial Interaction with respect to the personality trait of introversion. Specifically, I investigated whether introverts derive the benefits that extraverts get from real relationships through parasocial relationships instead. I also investigated whether parasocial relationships exert their power specifically by filling belongingness needs, as opposed to exerting their power by improving mood.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss_6mos/6"],"dc:subject":["introversion","need to belong","parasocial","relationships","social surrogacy","television","Social Psychology"],"dc:title":["Introversion and the Use of Parasocial Interaction to Satisfy Belongingness Needs"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:54:59Z"}